Family spans the country, but St. Augustine brings them together

Twenty members of the Robertson Family gather before Palm Coast's annual Feet to Feast Thanksgiving 15K/5K race in Palm Coast on Thanksgiving morning. The family members came from around country for the holiday and the race.

When Bill Robertson survived a plane crash in 1989, his near-death experience reminded him of just how precious time with family is.

Flying home after he became one of the 185 who lived through the crash of United Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa, Robertson couldn’t help thinking about how close he was to being one of the 111 who were not as fortunate.

“I was lucky enough to walk away,” he said.

Inspired by the positive turn of fortune, Robertson decided he was going to make a concerted effort to get his family together at least one time every year. The day he picked was Thanksgiving, and the tradition has just grown stronger since the first meeting.

“I’m thankful for the fact that we’re all still together,” Robertson said.

With representatives from Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio, Florida, Georgia and California, 23 members of the family are in St. Augustine this week to celebrate the quintessential American holiday. The reunion centers on Robertson and his siblings, Bruce Robertson and Judy Horner. All of their children and spouses — and their children, too — make the gathering.

The last dozen of the get-togethers have been at The Ocean Gallery in St. Augustine Beach.

“I think the real secret is everybody really enjoys being together,” said Bill Robertson, who lives in Wheaton, Ill., as do his two adult children and his grandchildren. “It’s a tribute to the makeup of the families.”

Although none of them are from St. Augustine or have ever lived here, the week they spend in the Oldest City brings them together physically and emotionally like nothing else. Horner lives in Ocala with her husband, David. But her children and grandchildren live in Tennessee and Georgia, respectively. Bruce and Angel Robertson live in Westchester, Ohio, with a son, Matt, in California.

The reason St. Augustine was first picked (other meeting places included Monteagle, Tenn., Daytona Beach and Destin) was because of the proximity to older family members. Mary, the mother of Bill, Bruce and Judy was still living in Crescent City at the time of the first St. Augustine event. Also, there was an aunt and uncle living in Palm Coast.

Mary Robertson died three years ago at age 94, but there hasn’t been much traction for a plan to move to a new location.

The grandchildren aren’t old enough to remember spending Thanksgiving anywhere but St. Augustine.

“There’s always a mention or talk about (moving the location), but we always come back to Ocean Gallery,” Bruce Robertson said.

While there are strong ties to St. Augustine for everyone in the family, Bill’s daughter Beth and her husband, Jolly Arend, probably have the strongest emotional claim.

This will be the place they’ll always remember when thinking about their engagement.

It was just a couple of years ago when they put a spark into an old tradition.

The family normally gathers around the dinner table before the big Thanksgiving meal, and each person talks about what he or she is thankful for.

Bill Robertson arranged for him and Jolly to be last. Bill knew Jolly was going to propose to his daughter, but it was a shock when Jolly used his turn to get down on a knee and ask Beth to marry him.

“It was an amazing moment I’ll never forget,” Beth said. “I still can tear up when I think about it.”

With their family strewn about the country like so many other Americans, getting to experience a moment like that in front of their closest relatives was only possible because of their commitment to the Thanksgiving tradition.

So they keep coming. Matt Robertson has probably had the toughest time making it. He came in this year from California, but he used to live in Taiwan. Even then, he made it here many years.

“We determined it’s healthy for us as a family,” Judy Horner said. “Bill’s determination, him wanting us to be together (was important). It’s sometimes difficult for people to be here.”

It doesn’t matter much what they do when they get here. There’s always some golf for those interested and plenty of swimming for the kids. In the last two years, the family has added the Feet to Feast Thanksgiving 15K/5K in Palm Coast — some run while others walk.

The one thing they’ve decided they will not do is attempt to make a huge traditional Thanksgiving meal in the vacation condominiums.

As Bill Robertson said: “We pick a condo and squeeze in.” And then they all enjoy a turkey dinner from Gypsy Cab Company.

The Robertsons don’t need Grandma’s recipes to celebrate Thanksgiving; they just need each other.

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aren't "lost in space" any longer...its nice family can be together for the holiday,, i just wonder how many they are squeezing into a condo built for x number of people & if management is aware they might be exceeding the allowable number !!! and as for a turkey dinner from gypsy cab company, while it might be a slight better than dinner at golden corral,, it hardly compares to grandma's recipes,, for all of thanksgiving,, not simply the meal... once again the turkey was wonderfully moist(a secret) the dressing was superb(again a secret) all the side dishes of candies sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, onion bacon baked string beans, corn, ruttabagas(mashed) cranberrys, butter bisquits, gravy(homemade) cooked over 2 days & 3 pies,, complemented our traditional t-day... onion dip & fresh veggies, for leading up to meal time were also served.. there is a lot to be said for a 20 pound bird,, mostly sandwiches & soup next week,, but a few good leftover meals as well... how can you watch football, without the traditional turkey w/dressing and gravy hot open faced ??? as for the running part,, well i did my 15 k getting everything together & then preparing it all.. my wife helped,, she basted the bird 2 x's while i ran an errand...and the whole fam damily was here, & cousins got to toss the ol pigskin while the adults watched Detroit lose again ( another holiday tradition ) i will say the officiating was considerably in Houston's favor>>>yathink